Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology (2024)

Home Recipes Courses Sauces, Dressings and Seasonings Vegan Tzatziki

by Lisa Bryan

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Updated Apr 28, 2023

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Vegan tzatziki is a cashew-based, dairy-free tzatziki that tastes amazingly similar to the traditional version.It’s light, creamy, fresh, and filled with cucumber and dill. And believe me when I say, it’s so good it will easily fool non-vegans as well.

Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology (2)

Tzatziki has been a long time favorite of mine. It’s an ultra refreshing dip that’s a staple in Mediterranean cuisine. But if you’re vegan or looking for a dairy-free option, you’re in luck. With the help of raw cashews, this vegan tzatziki comes together in a snap.

What’s In Vegan Tzatziki?

If you’ve been following Downshiftology for a while, you’ve probably noticed my love for cashews. They’ve got this magical ability to transform into creamy, dairy-like recipes such as my vegan caramel cheesecake or vegan alfredo sauce.

In this recipe, we’re swapping greek yogurt for cashews. But don’t worry, it won’t taste like a puddle of blended cashews. In fact, I’d say it tastes just like traditional tzatziki but just a smidge lighter. Here’s what you’ll need to make it.

  • Cashews – Make sure to use raw cashews and not roasted and salted.
  • Water – To blend with the cashews for the ultimate creaminess.
  • Lemon Juice – For that bright pop fresh flavor.
  • Cucumber – The star ingredient in tzatziki.
  • Garlic – Just one garlic clove creates a lot of flavor when it’s blended.
  • Dill – Chopped dill adds herb-y goodness.
  • Salt – A small amount for seasoning.

Vegan Tzatziki Couldn’t Be Any Easier To Make

All you need for this recipe is a blender, sieve, and a little time to chill.

  1. Soak. Make sure to soak your cashews overnight. Then drain and rinse well the day of.
  2. Blend. Add the cashews, water, lemon juice, and garlic to a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes, until it’s nice and creamy.
  3. Squeeze. Place the shredded cucumber in a fine mesh sieve and press it down to remove the liquid. You can also use a nut milk bag.
  4. Stir. In a mixing bowl, add the cashew mixture, drained cucumber, dill and salt. Then give everything a stir.
  5. Chill. Let the mixture chill for about 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together beautifully.

Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology (3)

Ways To Use This Dip

This dip is perfect as a fresh and easy snack. But you can use it for just about anything and any meal.

  • Appetizer: Spread it onto my falafel flatbread, or serve with tabbouleh.
  • Snack:Dip it with fresh veggies,seed crackers, plantain chips, or cassava flour tortilla chips.
  • Main Meal: Drizzle on falafels, Buddha bowls, or roasted vegetables, like broccoli.

Storing and Make Ahead Options

For the best texture and flavor, let this chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour before serving. This gives it time to cool after blending and lets the flavors meld together.

Have leftovers? Just store it in an airtight container for up to3-4 days in the fridge.

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More Healthy Vegan Snacks

Don’t look past a few of these tasty, plant-based snacks. They’re filling, have tons of flavor, and will please any crowd.

  • Baba Ganoush
  • Mango Salsa
  • Best Ever Guacamole
  • Classic Hummus Recipe
  • Baked Yucca Fries

Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology (5)

Vegan Tzatziki Recipe

5 from 19 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Lisa Bryan

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Description

Vegan tzatziki is a cashew-based, dairy-free dip that tastes just like the real thing. It's light, creamy, and filled with fresh ingredients. Watch the video below to see how I make it!

Video

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 4-6 hours (or overnight)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and shredded
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • Soak your cashews overnight. Then drain and thoroughly rinse them.

  • Blend the cashews, water, lemon juice and garlic in a high-powered blender for 1-2 minutes, or until creamy.

  • Place the shredded cucumber in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and press down to remove excess liquid. Alternatively, you could use a nut milk bag to sqeeze out the liquid.

  • Pour the cashew mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the drained cucumber, dill and salt, then stir together to combine.

  • Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Lisa’s Tips

  • Note that the mixture will thicken a bit after it’s fully cooled.
  • These are the raw cashews I buy in bulk for all of my vegan sauce recipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 28IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

Course: dressing, sauce

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Keyword: Dairy-Free Tzatziki Sauce, Vegan Tzatziki, Vegan Tzatziki Recipe, Vegan Tzatziki Sauce

©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

Read More About Me

Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology (2024)

FAQs

Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology? ›

Seed cucumbers.

I recommend seeding the cucumber whether you use an English cucumber or a slicing cucumber – this will guarantee your tzatziki sauce will not be runny -and it literally takes 30 seconds.

What is vegan tzatziki made of? ›

Ingredients
  • ½ cucumber, grated.
  • 1 cup (240 mL) unsweetened soy yogurt
  • cloves garlic, crushed.
  • ¼ cup (4 g) fresh dill, minced.
  • ½
  • extra virgin olive oil.
  • ⅛ tsp.

How do you make tzatziki not runny? ›

Seed cucumbers.

I recommend seeding the cucumber whether you use an English cucumber or a slicing cucumber – this will guarantee your tzatziki sauce will not be runny -and it literally takes 30 seconds.

How long does homemade tzatziki keep? ›

Tzatziki sauce should be kept in a sealed container and stored in the refrigerator when you're not using it. As long as it's stored properly, you can expect homemade tzatziki to last about three to four days. This will depend on how fresh the yogurt was when you made the sauce.

Why does my tzatziki taste bitter? ›

This is because tzatziki sauce is not meant to be bitter. However, if your tastes bitter, there are chances that you used too much lemon juice, or the quality of other ingredients wasn't good enough. For this reason, it is suggested that you always use high-quality and fresh ingredients to enjoy the right flavor.

How long does vegan tzatziki last? ›

Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator (where it will thicken) up to 5 days, sometimes longer depending on freshness of yogurt. This Tzatziki is delicious on its own, but it also pairs well with Greek-inspired recipes like these Traditional Vegan Falafel, Tabbouleh Salads, Shawarma Sandwiches, or Buddha Bowls.

What are the main ingredients in tzatziki? ›

Tzatziki is a salted yogurt and cucumber dip that's made of strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and herbs. Authentic Greek tzatziki is most often made with sheep or goat yogurt, but my tzatziki recipe calls for regular full-fat Greek yogurt.

How to make tzatziki more thick? ›

A tablespoon of corn starch or flour in a cup adding a dribble of water or broth until you get a thick paste. Then add it to the runny sauce. How do you make Tzatziki? Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, minced garlic, salt.

What is a substitute for garlic in tzatziki sauce? ›

Instead of garlic, I used Fody Garlic Infused Olive Oil, which gives a mild garlic flavor and scent. My tzatziki sauce recipe is slightly different from others in that I also add chives. Chives gives the sauce an extra kick of flavor that may be missing by omitting the pungent garlic from the recipe.

Why does tzatziki get watery? ›

The watery sauce is due to the cucumbers, which hold lots of water. The best way to avoid a watery tzatziki sauce is to get the excess moisture out of the grated cucumber before it's added to the sauce mixture.

Can you freeze homemade tzatziki? ›

Tzatziki will last about four days in the fridge before it starts to go bad. While you can freeze it, it will change a bit in regards to texture and consistency when it comes time to thawing it out.

What pairs well with tzatziki sauce? ›

Tzatziki is good friends with grilled and roasted meats, especially juicy lamb chops. Serve it up with a crunchy fattoush salad – a combination of torn pitta, cooling cucumber, ripe tomatoes, sweet lettuce and refreshing mint – for a bonus hit of fresh, summer flavour.

How to tell if tzatziki has gone bad? ›

Spoilage: Taste and smell are reliable indicators of spoilage; any sour or off odors are a clear sign the sauce should be discarded. Always inspect tzatziki for signs of mold or an unusual change in texture before consumption to ensure it's healthy to eat.

How to balance too much garlic in tzatziki? ›

What should you do if you add too much garlic to a recipe? Add some lemon juice if the recipe allows. Add some cane sugar, maple syrup or honey to the lemon juice if necessary to reduce the acidity. Lemon juice not only reduces the 'heat', or 'bite' and breath-smell of garlic but also softens the taste.

What if I add too much lemon juice to tzatziki sauce? ›

Thankfully, there are a few ways to fix a dish if you have added too much lemon juice. One option is to balance out the acidity by adding a sweetener such as sugar or honey. Another option is to dilute the lemon juice by adding more of the other ingredients in the recipe.

How to reduce tartness of Greek yogurt? ›

Add Fresh Fruit

The natural sweetness of the fruit balances the tartness of the yogurt. Fresh fruits are a great source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

What is vegan gyro made of? ›

Absorb yourself in a bit of Greek culture when you serve these Vegan Gyros. This recipe consists of fluffy pita bread, filled with spiced, meaty mushrooms, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Finish it off with a desirable, garlicky, homemade Tzatziki sauce, and you'll have a tough time sharing.

Is there vegan Greek yogurt? ›

Vegan yogurt is made from plant-based sources such as soy, coconut, oat, and cashews instead of dairy products. They come in a variety of textures such as regular, Greek, French, and kefir-style probiotic drinks, as well as flavors.

Is tzatziki made from yogurt or sour cream? ›

Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip (or sauce) made from simple ingredients including strained yogurt (or Greek yogurt), cucumbers, garlic, and sometimes fresh herbs such as dill or mint.

What are the ingredients in store bought tzatziki? ›

Ingredients: yogurt (milk ingredients, bacterial culture), sour cream(milk ingredients, bacterial culture, microbial enzyme), water,cucumber, canola oil, white vinegar, sea salt, garlic purée (garlic,canola oil), modified corn starch, garlic powder, citric acid.

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